


Thoughts are free Part 2

by blackeyedsoul



Series: Thoughts are free [2]
Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe, Angst, Comfort Sex, Fluff, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Rescue Missions, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-14
Updated: 2014-09-02
Packaged: 2018-02-13 04:02:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2136270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackeyedsoul/pseuds/blackeyedsoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything seems perfect for the first time in Harvey's life but not for long...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It seems like I can't leave this two alone and another bunny escaped the cage!
> 
> Once again I have to thank my very patient and skilled betas: sal_si_puedes and Stefi who btw is not even into Suits or ships or anything like that and still deals with my crazy. Thx a lot!

They had been lovers for several months now and Harvey had never been so much at ease.  
Nobody knew about them, though. Harvey did not feel ready to tell everybody he was in a relationship with his associate. This sentence alone held so many surprises he did not have the heart to repeat it in public – not yet.  
Harvey could not remember having ever considered himself in a relationship. Not to mention with a co-worker who was also an underling and not female.  
A few months ago the last argument would probably have been his first. 

Mike for his part did not want to fuel the fire of jealousy in the associates' pool by giving his coworkers the chance to satisfy their need for gossip and he did not want anyone to allege he was sleeping his way up.  
At work Mike was acting like nothing had ever happened between them, at least if anyone was around. Harvey was not always certain how that made him feel because he knew it just showed how remarkably good both of them were at hiding things from other people. It had become second nature to both of them, even though for different reasons.

At times Harvey still could not believe that Mike was real. It even scared him occasionally how fast he had reached a level here he could not remember how life before Mike felt.

Whenever they had to work crazy hours Mike would sit next to him on the couch in Harvey’s office, concentrating on their work, and casually slip his hand into Harvey’s at exactly the right moment. He would then hold on to Harvey like that for hours, allowing Harvey to just relax into Mike's touch.

Even if Mike worked on something else and knew Harvey was still there he would stroll into Harvey’s office, bringing his work along, and settle on the sofa. He never said anything, never explained or asked for permission. Mike just kept working on whatever he was working on, giving Harvey the opportunity to rise from his desk and sit next to him whenever he needed. Each time Mike did this Harvey's heart was so full of love for this unbelievable young man that his chest felt like it was ready to explode.

He hadn't had a headache in months.

One day when Donna told him that Jessica wanted to see him and added with one raised eyebrow, “You’d better get over there right now. Jessica didn't sound like she was in a mood to wait,“ a tiny hint of worry popped up in his mind.  
Had she found out about them? Was now the time to either defend his actions and tell her she had to live with it otherwise he would be gone, or to deny everything? For what it was worth Harvey did not believe he would be able to deny Mike, even if he tried.

It turned out she had summoned Harvey to tell him he was going to have a meeting with a new client in the afternoon, it was on short notice and there was no way of not doing it. 

Jessica took a seat behind her desk and opened one of the files that waited there in a neat pile. Her dark eyes rested on Harvey who stood there in front of her desk with his signature smug smile she knew so well, like he had no care in the world.

“Harvey, this client is major and I am really thrilled that he wants you as his lawyer so please make sure you keep him satisfied.”

Now he was honestly curious. It was not the first time Jessica personally assigned him to a client and told him not to screw it up but his boss seemed genuinely impressed by this new miraculous client and that for sure did not happen very often. To be honest Harvey could not even remember the last time it had happened.

"That sounds like the Pope is going to come to my office, Jessica. What is that about? Who is it? The suspense is killing me!"

"Graham Huxley."

Harvey cocked his head to one side. Okay, that was big news.

"The Graham Huxley?"

"Yes Harvey and he asked specifically for you and only you. He did not tell me what it is about, he just demanded your time and I am sure you can assume that there is no way of saying no to a famous gazillionaire who wants you as his lawyer."

That indeed was surprising and hopefully something interesting and not just some boring merger. 

“Okay, I will be my best charming self and catch you your filthy rich Mr. Huxley.”

Jessica’s lips formed a very small but content smile.

“That's all I wanted to hear." She turned her attention back to her paperwork and Harvey was dismissed.

 

Two hours later Harvey raised his eyes over the brim of his laptop and observed three men walking down the hall towards his office. 

“You've gotta be kidding me… seriously?” Harvey mumbled to himself as he took in the whole picture. The first man was undoubtedly Graham Huxley. Harvey recognized him from magazine covers and newspaper articles he had read. Huxley apparently had brought his own security guards along to their meeting because two tall men in black suits followed him upon his heels. What did the guy think could happen to him in a law firm, someone stabbing him with a paperknife?

Surprisingly, they stopped at Donna’s desk and did not march past her into his office like they owned the place. It would have fitted into the picture.  
When Donna opened his door to announce his new client she threw him a wide-eyed look that meant something like “the men in black brought us an alien” and Harvey had to bite down a little smile to stay professional.  
Jessica's new favorite client swept past Donna and seated himself in one of the chairs in front of Harvey’s desk. His two bodyguards took up position outside the office door.

The man wore an Alexander Amosu suit, Harvey could see that immediately. Harvey was a very well dressed man who cherished expensive things and had no problem admitting that he knew the difference between last and this season’s Prada. Thanks to Donna he was also very well informed which overprized designer handbag was the latest wet dream of every fashionista but he discerned that this 100.000-Dollar suit was just shameless swank.

The obvious show-off startled Harvey and it did not help to make the other man any more likeable. Did he intend to intimidate him or was that his way of showing who the alpha dog was? Nonetheless Harvey put on a welcoming smile and closed his laptop:

"Mr. Huxley, nice to meet you. What can I do for you?"

Graham Huxley, a member of the Forbes List, was in his late 40ies. Harvey could not remember his exact age although he had read it several times. Mike would have remembered, no doubt.  
His dark hair was already graying and his brown eyes gave Harvey a challenging once over, although he had not lost a word about his request.  
Besides his exorbitantly expensive suit he was wearing the A. Lange & Söhne “Grand Complication“ around his wrist. It was one of six watches ever made and cost about 2.57 Million Dollar. Huxley made sure it was visible by holding his underarms up steepling his fingers. Understatement was obviously not one of his virtues. The guy radiated snootiness and narcissism.  
Harvey could live with that. Most people thought the same about himself.

Huxley leaned forward just a little, darting his head in the direction of Harvey's desk phone. 

"You might want to turn of the intercom."

Okay, so the guy was also paranoid and did not reside in pleasantries. The smile he had plastered on his face did not reach his eyes. Something about this man made Harvey feel uncomfortable.

In no way could Harvey deny a client his privacy, so he just gave a short but commanding  
“Donna” and observed his assistant pushing one of the buttons on her intercom. The little red light went off.

Harvey was not easily impressed, not by expensive bling or bodyguards or snobby demeanor. He leaned back in his chair, swaying a little back and forth.

“There you go, Mr. Huxley. What exactly do you need me for?”

Huxley’s expression reminded Harvey of a cat ready to attack the mouse. Harvey certainly did not like to think of himself as the mouse but he had the strange feeling something shitty was coming his way.

"I do not like to beat around the bush, Mr. Specter, that is why I just go right to the point. I want you and your very special ability to work for me."

Harvey‘s well trained poker face stayed perfectly on but behind the façade his thoughts started to spiral.  
What was he talking about? He could not possibly mean what Harvey thought he meant! Harvey decided to move carefully now. He leaned forward, placing his forearms on the desk.

"And what might that be, Mr. Huxley?"

Harvey did not like the grin that grew on the other man’s face.

"Well, extraordinary people draw attention and I have made it my personal habit to always be aware of things that stand out because I learned that you never know what useful things you may find.  
For a lawyer to be undefeated is quite outstanding so I got curious...guess what I found?"

Harvey was truly concerned now. His palms started sweating but he was not ready to give in. The smug Specter face remained unrattled as he went on, testing the waters.

"That I am an unbelievably smart, charming and brilliant lawyer, I'd suggest."

"Nice try, Mr. Specter. And would I be just anybody I would gladly agree, but see – another thing I've learned is that everybody has a price and if you ask the right people you find out the most unbelievable things. It is almost like being able to read people's thoughts."

Harvey paled. He was so fucked! Huxley found one of the three people who knew his secret. Who had given him up for money?  
The better question would probably be who hadn’t ˗ since he'd had absolutely no contact with any of them for about 20 years.

Still not ready to surrender, Harvey kept on exploring what was just happening. 

"Let's assume what you think you know about me is true. What do you think you can do with that information? Do you intend to run around and tell people? I mean who would believe you? You could also go tell them I am a Jedi."

Huxley sank back into his chair and took a relaxed position. He was doubtlessly prepared for Harvey to not give in that fast.

"You may be right about that but as you just witnessed I am very good at finding out secrets. If you do not do this I am going to make it my personal duty to find each and every one of yours, including the people you care about, and I am going to make their lives a real mess. I am sure you can imagine that having me as an enemy is not fun, unless for me of course. My resources and connections outweigh yours by far, Mr. Specter. Consider very carefully if you want this. It takes just a little mindreading to make me go away."

The first thing that popped up in Harvey’s mind was Mike ˗ of course. This guy would find Mike’s secret. Harvey had no doubt that their Harvard lie would not hold up against Huxley’s wrath. That one secret alone would involve Jessica and Mike and himself and probably the whole firm. Let alone all the other things Huxley’s threat implied. As much as he hated it, compared to Huxley Harvey was only a rather small fish in the pond.

It was time to find out what exactly they were talking about.

“What do you want?”

“I am in the running for CEO for one of the top fortune 500 firms and I intend to win the vote. I need to know what every member of the board really wants to win them over. Or something I can hold against them to get them on my side – unless of course he or she is on my side already. You are going to figure it out. Thirty people. I don't care what it is and I need it done fast.”

Harvey could no longer sit still. He rose and crammed his hands into his pockets. Still acting relaxed he walked toward one of his windows and looked down for a moment he could feel Huxley’s eyes burning a hole in his back, waiting for an answer.

This was insane! Harvey could not allow this man to blackmail him into doing this. Where would that end? The fists in his pockets clenched so hard he could feel his nails dig into his palms. Huxley could decide to try this again any time. He could not give in to a vague threat against everybody and everything. Harvey was not that easily scared and if Huxley really found out about Mike or anything else, well, than he would fight him with everything he had. 

Harvey quickly lowered the veil. He wanted to hear what Huxley’s thoughts told him, but unfortunately the other man was prepared. Huxley’s thoughts repeated the same sentence over and over again.  
"Don’t even try, don’t even try, don’t even try, don’t even try."  
When you knew you were talking to a telepath it was only logical to keep your thoughts occupied and that was the ultimate proof that Graham Huxley knew.

Harvey turned around and looked at the man who still sat there in his chair looking at him. Harvey’s voice was steady and firm as he spoke from deepest conviction.

"I am not going to do that."

No reaction was visible in Huxley’s face. He just looked Harvey in the eye and nodded like it was exactly what he had supposed would happen. Huxley rose from his chair and shrugged, faking disappointment.

The door handle already in his grip he turned around once more, his voice trickling with suppressed anger.

"You should know that I do not take ‘no’ for an answer, Mr. Specter. You just made a big mistake."

Harvey had a very, very bad feeling down to his guts he knew this would not have been the last time he heard from Huxley. When the three men walked down the corridor and disappeared where they had come from Donna turned around in her chair. She gave Harvey a curious look and her lips formed the words:

"What was that?"

The little red light on his intercom went back on.

"I can’t tell you, Donna, but 'fucking unpleasant' describes it."

\-----------------------------------------

 

That evening Harvey had left the office before Mike. He did not want to, but his lover had sent him away.

"Sorry, Harvey, but I have to finish this and if I take it with me to your place I know for sure this is not going to happen."

Mike gave him a dirty grin. Harvey could not argue with that.

"Okay, I´ll wait for you with dinner. Call me when you’re done and I am going to order something."

"Can't wait," Mike replied and his blue eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Two hours later Mike finally called. Harvey had already settled in front of his TV with a cool bottle of beer in his hand, condensed water wetted his fingertips and he wiped his hand on the jeans he had changed into after work before he reached for his phone on the coffee table. Mike's picture showed on the display and the corners Harvey's mouth curled upwards reflexively when he looked at it and answered: 

"Hey, Mike! What do you want for dinner?"

"Good evening, Mr. Specter. I think I have something that belongs to you.  
I am very confident I figured out your price."

Harvey’s heart stopped beating, his stomach turned, he immediately recognized the voice. It was Huxley on Mike's phone. He felt sick when he tried to answer, tried to steady his voice, to keep it from shaking:  
"I knew you were ruthless but I did not know you were a criminal."  
The man on the other end of the line made a scoffing sound. The son of a bitch was mocking him:  
"Criminal is a harsh word, I'd rather call it opportunist."  
He went on and the lusting tone that infiltrated his voice made Harvey close his eyes in terror:  
"That is a pretty boy you have, Mr. Specter… I assume you are not the sharing kind of guy…. let’s just hope you can solve my problem fast enough before I decide to take a little sample."

The threat did not fail to have the desired effect. Harvey surrendered. The mere image of this scumbag touching Mike, even the thought of that man looking at Mike was unbearable. His words dripped with disgust:

"What do you want me to do?"  
"Well, first of all, you can call the police but I bet they won't find me fast enough to keep me from seriously hurting your lover boy. Although I cannot promise that I won’t hurt him at all."

Anger and hatred rushed like fire through Harvey's veins. He shouted:  
“Okay, you son of a bitch, you got me! Where the hell do I meet your fucking board members?"  
"Language, Mr. Specter, please! I do not appreciate being disrespected. As chance would have it I arranged a small get together tomorrow evening and all the members will be there. I am going to meet you there and we are going to have a lovely evening, Mr. Specter. As soon as I am satisfied you can have your toy back. And do both of you a favor and don’t underestimate me. Try to be a hero and Mike Ross will disappear from the face of this earth without a trace."

Harvey summoned the last shred of rationality he could find in his shaking body and demanded:  
"Let me talk to him."  
For a few torturing moments the line went quiet before he overheard smothered mumbling and could hear that the speaker was turned on.  
“Harvey?”  
Mikes voice was trembling. The fear he was able to hear in his lover’s voice cut deep into his heart. Harvey was desperate to tell him he loved him and he’d do anything to save him, but he did not want to provide Huxley with any more ammunition.  
“Mike, are you ok? Did he hurt you?”  
“I am okay, Harvey, I……”  
That was all Mike could say before Huxley’s voice was back on the phone.  
“That’s enough chitchat. Detailed instructions will be delivered to your apartment tomorrow late afternoon.”  
The call was disconnected.


	2. Chapter 2

The night seemed to stretch endlessly. Harvey wandered around his dark and empty condo, his head filled with fear and worries. His stomach felt like one tight knot. It was hard to breathe against the tightness that had gotten a hold of his chest from the moment he had first heard Huxley`s voice through Mike's phone. Harvey could physically feel the emptiness of his apartment and the silence was deafening. He was exasperated and felt helpless, he felt just so fucking helpless. Mike was out there somewhere in the hands of a psychopath, he was afraid and Harvey could not even allow himself to start thinking about what that fucking freak might be doing to him.  
He collapsed on the couch just to realize that he could not bear sitting still so he stood up again resuming his restless pacing. It was a nightmare there was just no chance to wake up.

Tomorrow evening. What should he do? How was he supposed to stand next to the man who did this to him... to them... and not try to kill the bastard?  
The claim this crazy piece of shit had was almost impossible to fulfill! What if he failed? What if Huxley really did kill Mike?  
Harvey did not doubt that that psycho was capable of doing it – or ordering it, which was more likely.  
He could not let him get away with this. He could come back anytime and threaten Harvey into doing some sort of shit for him again and again.  
Oh god, how much he wished Mike was here with him!

The problem with figuring out thirty people ˗ looking for something that they either desperately wanted or desperately were trying to hide ˗ was almost undoable in one evening. It was virtually impossible to foresee when somebody would think about the right thing. Under ideal circumstances they did it during a conversation with him but it was far more likely that it would just pop up in their minds randomly. Anything could trigger a thought. The only possible way to do what Huxley forced him to do would be to keep the flood gates open all the time and let everything flow in. Even then it would be extremely hard if not impossible to separate the thoughts and get what he wanted. Above all Harvey could not tell how long he would be able to manage it. One hour tops was his guess and only if he was well rested. But it could also just fry his brain… who knew.

His thoughts went back and forth for hours. He thought about talking to the police nonetheless but he decided that Huxley was probably right. He was not just a random kidnapper – the man had endless resources and possibilities Harvey could not even fathom. If he wanted he could have Mike flown to god knows where in his G6 or shipped him across the ocean with his yacht, not to mention Huxley’s countless properties all around the world. The police would never be able to find Mike in time, including the hours it would take to convince them that Graham Huxley was a kidnapper in the first place.

Harvey could not figure out anything besides doing what the asshole wanted and hoping that he would keep his side of the deal.  
No matter how long he wracked his brain, in the end he had to admit that he would never be able to do it alone. It was very likely that he would not even be able to stand on his own feet at the end of the evening, let alone make sure Mike was alright. He needed someone who made sure Mike was safe, even if he himself would be knocked out. Eventually that someone also had to make sure Harvey got out of there, too. Besides all the rational reasons he was just scared to death, for fuck's sake.

A look at his phone old him it was three in the morning when he finally picked up his phone and hit #2 on his speed dial. It took far longer than usual until he heard a voice on the other end.

“This better be damned good, Harvey, or I swear I will take your personal credit card to Saks tomorrow.”

“Donna, I need your help.”

One hour later Donna sat on one of Harvey’s big black leather armchairs in a gray, cozy looking leisure suit, her legs tucked under her and took a huge gulp of the scotch Harvey had poured her. After that she stared into the amber liquid for a few seconds before she looked at Harvey who sat on the couch in front of her, his elbows on his knees and his palms pressed to his sore eyes. Donna had never seen him at the edge of exasperation before. She took a deep breath before she started talking.

“So you are telling me that you are a telepath and a psychopathic gazillionaire found out your secret and kidnapped Mike to force you to do something for him. Mike, who is, by the way, the man you have been in a relationship with for months now.”

She took another gulp and sighed.

“Holy fucking shit, I would be so pissed for not telling me if we didn't have bigger problems right now. I am talking about the mind reading thing, of course – the Mike thing was rather obvious though.” 

Harvey took his hands from his eyes and looked at her in disbelief. 

Donna could not help but make a small scoffing noise before she held up one flat hand in defense.

“Oh please, Harvey! It’s me, Donna. Just because you managed to keep that telepathy thing from me it does not mean you are one big riddle to me. Although I am not able to read peoples' thoughts I still know everything … almost.”

She sank back into the black leather.

“What do we do now?”

Harvey ran his hands through his already messed up hair. Something, Donna knew, was very rare to see and showed how wrecked he was.

“I have no choice. I thought this through over and over and I see no other way than to do what he wants – but I need someone there with me."

He rose once more from his couch, and walked over to the kitchen although he was not even sure want he wanted there. He turned back to Donna.

"You remember the fundraiser we all went to a few months ago?”

Donna nodded.

“Yes, Mike sent me a text that he brought you home.”

Harvey leaned against the kitchen counter.

“He found me there on the floor near the wardrobe. I was a helpless pile of pain. You know that I tend to have headaches, the reason for that is that I have to work on keeping everybody’s thoughts out of my head. Usually that is no problem but when I am really tired and overworked it causes me headaches. Even then I can still go on for a few hours but at some point it can get too much. When it gets really, really bad I sometimes cannot keep it up. That night everything crushed down completely.”

Donna nodded again, put her glass on the table and stated, fully aware of what Harvey was trying to say, “And you think that will happen again when you do this tomorrow evening.”

“I am fairly sure it will happen. To read so many thoughts I have to read everyone all the time. I am not even convinced that I can do it at all but I am pretty confident it will have a very unpleasant impact."

"Is there no other way?"

“I can't see how, I have to save Mike, Donna! I have to get him back! I have to do this no matter what... I have to try."

Harvey could feel that he was close to the edge of losing it. He could not remember the last time he had cried but now he could feel the tears rise and desperately tried to bite them down. 

Donna rushed to his side and took his shaking hands into hers, squeezing them reassuringly.

"Harvey, it's okay, we are going to do this and we are going to get Mike back! I swear we will get him back."

Harvey did not fight her – for once he welcomed her consolation. 

"I can't stop thinking about Mike and how afraid he must be and it makes me so sick that this bastard might be touching him, what if he..."

His forehead sunk down onto Donna's shoulder. 

"Shhhh.... Harvey don't... You should try to get some sleep somehow. Did you not just tell me that you are practically worthless if you are too tired?"  
"I can't, how can I sleep if Mike is somewhere out there suffering?"

The black New York City sky already showed a hint of silver far back on the horizon when Harvey finally closed his eyes and fell into a restless sleep. He lay curled up on his sofa. Donna watched him, one hand stroking through his hair. She was heartbroken to see her friend suffer like that. She had always wished for him to find someone who would be able to crack his shell and get under his skin. When Mike stumbled into their lives she had almost instantly seen the connection between this two gorgeous men and it had taken so painfully long for Harvey to see what she saw. Now it had finally happened and some crazy son of a bitch ripped his heart out and hurt their sweet little puppy- eyed Mike.  
She mumbled more to her own reassurance since nobody was there to hear her:

"I swear to god this nut job will regret the day he set foot into your office. We will get him, we'll come up with something, but first we have to get Mike back.”

She refused to think about the much bigger bomb Harvey had dropped on her tonight. Now was not the time to be pissed or to dig any deeper and explore any further what exactly this all meant. Donna had always known that there was something else hidden behind the Harvey Specter's “I do not fucking care” demeanor and now she knew. It was unbelievable and shocking but she was willing to trust him and talk about this when everything was over. 

Besides, if he indeed had listened to her thoughts he would have given her much better Christmas presents or bought the right colored GUCCI bag for her birthday, so he had probably told her the truth. 

The instructions arrived, as announced, in the afternoon. It was a simple invitation to the anniversary festivities of the Enterprise Huxley had laid his eyes upon, Beginning at seven tonight.

A yellow sticky note on the card said:

"I am going to have the board members summoned to a separate room for a little speech. That is all you are going to get alone with them."

So, this idiot was dragging him to an anniversary party with god knows how many guests.

"Fuck you, Huxley! This is bullshit!"

He had almost ripped the invitation to shreds but Donna leapfrogged him and snapped the card out of his hands.

"Okay, so at least we don't have to worry about me. You can bet your ass that Huxley will be waiting for you right there. I’ll keep the invitation and be right behind you. His snobbishness did not even look at me in the office, since I am only the secretary, so he won’t recognize me."

An incoming message to Harvey's phone made him jump to the kitchen counter. The number on the text was blocked which made it even more certain where it came from. Harvey swallowed hard before he touched the message button to open it. He knew deep down that it would only make things worse.

"Holy shit! Mike!"

Harvey instantly felt violently sick, his guts clenched when he looked at the picture on his phone:

Mike was tied to a chair wearing only his boxers and he had clearly been beaten. His face showed two swollen cheekbones and his chest ... was that a bite mark?  
The sight made Donna finally lose her composure. She covered her mouth with her hands and tears rolled down her pale face. That was too much, even for someone who had seen her fair share of crime scene photos in her time at the DA’s office. This was Mike and he was hurt. Badly. Unable to speak she threw her arms around Harvey and held him close, although she knew that nothing could comfort him or calm him down right know.

"He’s gonna pay for this," she whispered, trying to soothe him somehow. 

“We will make him pay for this.”

After a few moments of silence Harvey suddenly broke the embrace and grabbed hold of Donna's shoulders. A little sparkle appeared in his worried and teary eyes. Some kind of idea had forms in his mind, she could see that.

"Donna, go home and get dressed. I have to call someone," he kissed her on the forehead and his voice showed a tiny bit of triumph when he told her: 

"You are right, he’s gonna pay! But we have to get Mike back first."

At 7 p.m. sharp Harvey disembarked Ray’s black Lexus limousine and did the best he could to keep breathing. The invitation had stated ‘formal’ on the dress code side, Harvey would have detested showing up in a tuxedo to the shambles. So he went for one of his nearly black three pieces which made him feel as armored as he could get for tonight.  
Huxley made sure he was the first person Harvey laid eyes on. Therefore he already stood right in front of the door, waiting with a self-satisfied grin. Naturally, one of his bodyguards was standing right behind him.

“Mr. Specter, so glad you could make it.” Huxley reached out to shake Harvey’s hand. Wow, this guy really was out of his tree.  
"Spare me the bullshit," Harvey barked, leaving his hands deep in the pockets of his trousers.  
Huxley just glossed over Harvey’s refusal and his death glare and rubbed his hands.

“Let's get to work then. Tell me how you want to do this. The meeting is in one hour.”

“Until then you’ll talk to every member you find in there, tell me their names and get them to talk to you for a few minutes. Try to poke them about your election and hope something comes up.”

“Well you better hope that, Mr. Specter.”

He leaned in and invaded Harvey’s personal space until he was close to his right ear. Harvey shivered and clenched his fists. Every fiber of his body urged to punch the other man or at least to push him away.

Huxley’s voice had this lusting tone again that made Harvey sick to his stomach.

"He is delicious, that pretty boy of yours... If you screw this up I might just keep him for a while before I get rid of him."

"You son of...."

"Do not insult me, Mr. Specter, that is never a good idea. Let’s go, time is of the essence, isn't it?"

When they entered the building, Harvey caught a glimpse of Donna behind him. She was showing her invitation to the guy at the door. Then he lost sight of her and followed his extortionist.  
Crap! The place was loaded with people. Harvey’s worst case scenario unfolded right in front of his eyes – there was absolutely no way of mass reading this throng. 

Lacking other opportunities for the moment, Harvey followed Huxley who steered through the crowd and headed directly towards a gray haired man, supposedly in his 60ies, who leaned against one of the bars and obviously waited for his order to be served. A big band played something vaguely familiar but Harvey did not really listen.

Under different circumstances he would have even enjoyed himself but now his heart stung painfully, reminding him of Mike who was not with him.

"Good evening, Mr. Coleman. Pleasure to meet you!”

Huxley greeted the other man with a sugary voice and a fake smile that once again never reached his eyes.

"Mr. Huxley, the pleasure is all mine," the other man replied with a constrained manner and the same fake smile on his face.

_"What does he want from me... Bad enough that I have to listen to his stupid speech later...."_

Harvey grinned slightly at the thoughts he picked up. 

"May I introduce you to Mr. Specter? I'm thinking about hiring him as my new lawyer."

Harvey shook Coleman's hand.

_"I know you can earn a lot of money with this scumbag but for your sake let’s hope he does not want you. Or you are the same kind of bastard then you deserve each other."_

"Pleased to meet you," Harvey answered briefly and Huxley lost no time to actuate the conversation.

"How is the family? Is your wife with you tonight?"

_"The Bastard is nosy! What does my wife and kids concern you? Playing nice to win me? Phew... I could really use a line now."_

"Everything is fine, thank you."

Mr. Coleman leaned over the bar to take his drink from the bartender. Harvey used the interruption and whispered to Huxley.

"Next one! He does coke and he has an illegitimate child with his maid!"

Huxley’s visible delight of the other man’s indiscretion disgusted Harvey just like everything else about him. 

Harvey typed a quick note into his phone and hid it again in his suit pocket just before Huxley started a conversation with the next board member.

One awfully long hour Harvey listened to one rambling mind after the other. It was an endless stream of questions, concerns, sorrows, guilt and random ideas.  
Jesus Christ! It was all so fucking personal and absolutely none of Harvey’s business. He despised what he was doing. They were only able to talk to eight of the board members. Not everyone gave away their secrets so easily and in some cases it needed a rather long conversation before Harvey heard something useful. Two of them did not think anything helpful at all.

Just when Harvey started to feel a slight tension building between his eyes a young woman in a black, very sexy fitted business suit approached Huxley. With a familiar touch to his shoulder she interrupted the ongoing conversation and whispered something in his ear.  
He nodded and the woman disappeared again. 

“It’s time for my little speech, Mr. Specter. Follow me.”

A sinuous stair led upstairs and revealed more doors on the first floor, one of them wide open. The library was already filled with people who sat down on the prearranged chairs facing a small lectern. Harvey looked around and spotted a chair close to the door, apart from the rows for the audience where he could still see everyone’s faces. Again, Harvey saw the young woman in the black suit crossing the room, this time her destination seemed to be the spot where Harvey sat. She handed him an iPad, the notepad app was already open, and explained.

“For your notes. Mr. Huxley said you can write everything down for him.”

Harvey took the iPad. He did not bother to say anything and quickly checked the internet connection and apps, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, it might even make his task simpler?

As soon as everybody was seated the door to the library went shut.

 

Harvey slowly lowered his guards. First, he had to separate the crowd outside from the thirty people in the room. After a few minutes he managed to find the right balance and was able to hear only the crowd that was seated in the chairs in front of him. It was still a pandemonium of voices that filled his head. Everything blended together and only every now and then something made some kind of sense. It was a massive invasion to his mind, Harvey felt like every nerve chord in his body was vibrating.

Huxley began to speak and the avalanche of thoughts ebbed away slightly. Some of the board members started to actually listen to the man on the podium and the jumble faded a little. Bit by bit Harvey adjusted to the flood of nonsense and could finally separate whole sentences and trains of thoughts.

A few more minutes to accommodate and Harvey managed to follow the interesting stuff back to the source. It was a little like following single threads through a big ball of wool and it took him an immense amount of concentration to sort through the buzzing.

He typed everything that seemed interesting and useful into the iPad.  
Twenty minutes later Harvey realized he had started to sweat. His back felt clammy where the shirt was plastered to his skin and beads of sweat had clustered on his forehead. Harvey closed his eyes in an attempt to ignore his bodily signs of overstimulation and just tried to go one making sense of everything.  
Ten more minutes and Harvey started to feel nauseous but he could not give up. There was no change he would stop now! He needed more information and he was going to get it. 

The lines on the screen began to blur and the words dissolved on the yellow digital paper.  
Harvey went on and wrote everything down he got although he was not completely certain he managed to hit the right letters every time. Names, dates, sins and failures, needs and wants – everything that poured out of thirty different minds.

Harvey lost track of time, pushed through the worsening revulsion and dizziness, ignored the piercing pain that built in the middle of his forehead until he realized the crescendo.  
First it only lingered on the rims of his consciousness, a faint steady humming that slowly grew more intense until he could no longer ignore it. The hundreds of other voices he had kept out started to wash over his almost nonexistent barriers.

It was over. That was all he could accomplish and he only had minutes left until everything would overwhelm him.  
He touched a few more buttons and closed every window he had opened besides the notepad app and just left it there for Huxley to find.  
Harvey fled his chair as unobtrusively as possible, stabilizing himself with one hand flat against the wall behind him. The ground under his feet swayed dangerously. He struggled to reach the door without falling down.

Like it had happened months before a deafening, vibrating buzz invaded Harvey’s mind and instantly caused a sharp and intense sting between his eyes. His body threatened to give in to intense pain as he tried to reach the stairway, one hand on the wall to find his way. His vision blurred and colors danced in front of his eyes. Harvey barely discerned the grip that settled around his waist and one of his upper arms, he distantly noticed that he was lead down the stairs and caught a glimpse of Donna through his clouded vision. Thankfully Donna did what he had explained to her and managed to keep her mind calm and steady she seemed to hum a little melody in her thoughts that blended into the chaos in his head but did not make things worse. 

The last thing he was slightly aware of was the scent of leather when his head rested somewhere cool and slick. His body curled up and started to shake. 

Donna closed the backdoor of Ray’s town car and rushed back inside. Right in time to see people coming down the stairs after Huxley’s staged meeting.  
Huxley was the last one, an iPad in his hand and a devilish grin on his face as he read while walking down the stairs.

“Just fall down and break your neck, you piece of shit,” Donna whispered.  
The course obviously did not work so she sprang into action, placing herself in Huxley’s way at the end of the stairs.

"Excuse me, do I know you?"

Huxley was pissed that someone had interrupted his perusal.  
But Donna was not impressed and did not back down.  
Her eyes darted at Huxley and her lips formed a very dangerous smile. Her phone demonstratively in her right hand, she explained:

“Okay, listen, everything Harvey told you so far on this little iPad and before was bullshit. I have an email here that holds the true information you want and I'll gladly send it to you as soon as I have proof that Mike is safe. And don’t even think about touching me in front of all those people! I can stay here the whole evening wasting your very precious time by not giving you your newest blackmail material.”

He definitively did not see that coming but he acted only mildly surprised, raising one of his eyebrows and curling his lips.  
"So you are his backup? Beautifully chosen, I have to admit, Ms. Paulsen. I heard so much about you."

Donna let nothing interrupt her death stare, she just lifted the phone in her hands little more.  
"Do you want it or not?"  
Huxley nodded to one of his Black Suits that had built up behind Donna the second she had started to talk to Huxley and the guy began to whisper a few words into the sleeve of his suit.  
Only seconds later Donna’s phone rang:  
“Mike, where are you?”  
“Donna, I am at Harvey’s place. They’ve brought me back here. Where is Harvey? Is he ok?”  
Donna would rather die right here on the spot than giving Huxley any more satisfaction so she forced herself to give only a brief answer although her body suddenly felt much lighter hearing Mike's voice.  
“I hope so. We are on our way.”  
She sent Huxley his god damned email and immediately tried to rush back to the car but Huxley lifted one finger and the gorilla stopped her from passing. Huxley fumbled for his phone and his eyes flew over the screen.  
“This better be valid information Ms. Paulsen or I am going to come back. Good evening.”  
Now the black suit made way for her and she hurried back to the car.


	3. Chapter 3

Harvey was curled up in the back seat shaking, and a thick layer of sweat covered his pale skin. Donna jumped in but she did as Harvey had told her and avoided to touch him anymore than absolutely necessary.

It broke her heart to see him like that and not being able to help. Harvey had told her he might eventually pass out but it still scared her like hell when it happened.  
She needed Ray’s help to get him out of the car and into Harvey’s private elevator which brought them directly to the condo. Mike was already waiting there and helped them to lay Harvey onto the big couch in front of the fireplace.

When Harvey was safe on his sofa, Donna hugged Ray.

"Thank you so much for your help and I am so, so sorry for the little accident in your car! I am sure Harvey will make it up to you."  
Ray smiled serenely

"Don’t worry, it is not the first time somebody puked in my car and it will probably not be the last."

And with one worried look into Mike's clearly beaten up face, he added: 

“Hope you two feel better soon.”

Then he was gone.

Donna did not know what to do first with two patients but Mike was at least talking and stood on his own feet. Harvey still had not come back and his pale face worried her sick.

"Will he be okay?"

Mike started to untuck Harvey's shoes and loosened his tie.

"His nerves overloaded and his body shut down before it was too much. I am sure he will come back soon. It's not like we can do anything."

"You saved him last time."

"I can be his shield when he has none but he has to establish the connection. When he is already unconscious it is too late for that. His body did the rescuing from severe damage.

He is a powerful telepath – he probably did this for far too long."

When Mike started to get rid of Harvey’s jacket the other man finally opened his eyes if only for a very brief moment. They were not even sure if Harvey had acknowledged them but now he seemed to sleep rather than to be unconscious.

After all, Donna’s attention could turn to Mike. She let Harvey sleep and steered Mike towards the kitchen and into the brightness of the ceiling spotlight.

She inhaled sharply when she took in the full extent of the damage.

Not only was the skin over his cheekbones swollen and bruised – one of the bruises showed a deep cut and one of his eyebrows was also chapped.

"What did he do to you, Mike?"

She took him into her arms and hugged him tightly.

"Mike, I am so sorry! Oh my god, the bastard beat the shit out of you!"

Donna could feel Mike wince when she hugged him and backed off. Her voice left no room for objections.

"Show me."

Mike did not fight and pulled off his shirt to expose his bruised right side and an ugly red bite-mark on his chest.

Donna needed to do something before she started to cry.

"Okay, we are going to take care of this right now. Follow me."

Half an hour later Donna had everything disinfected and had put an antibiotic ointment on the wounds, especially the bite mark. The cuts had steri-strips on them and she even found cooling gel for the bruises on Mike's rib cage. Thank goodness Harvey liked boxing and had a very well embellished first aid assortment.

"Mike, this bite is serious. When it shows any kind of infection you have to see a doctor!"

Mike nodded. He let everything happen and sat quietly on the white brim of Harvey's tub.

Donna did not ask. She was sure Harvey was the better person to talk to and Mike obviously did not feel the urge to share with her. She did not push him and focused on the visible injuries. One day she would talk to him about this but not now.

The sunshine pierced through Harvey's closed eyelids and he instantly regretted the reflex to open them. The enormous pounding in his head did not react well to the bright sunlight. His eyes hurt and even his nape felt like the muscles where too weak to hold his head.

In the same breath he became aware of the warm body that was wrapped around him.

"Mike!"

His eyes snapped open again to get a look at his lover and rage instantly boiled in his veins when he saw Mike's shattered face.

"Huxley, you son of a bitch," he hissed through clenched teeth, unable to hide his revulsion and at the same time his heart hurt like hell from the mere imagination of his lover`s suffering.

From the pill bottle Harvey spotted on the coffee table he concluded that Donna had given Mike a sleeping pill. Harvey did not want to leave him but his stomach growled audibly and he needed something for his headache. He carefully wiggled from Mike's embrace and tiptoed into the bathroom. 

When he reemerged, showered and with the very much needed painkillers in his system, Mike was still sleeping. Harvey did not have the heart to leave him, not even for fifteen minutes, to hurry to the coffee shop on the corner. He wanted to be there when Mike woke up, so he started to find something to eat and make some coffee as quietly as possible.  
Mike started up from his sleep without any prior warning. Harvey instantly slid from his bar stool and rushed to his side. Mike's eyes where wide with fear but clearly unfocused, and not completely awake, he mumbled something Harvey could not understand. Mike seemed to be fighting an invisible foe. Harvey got hold of Mike's shoulders and talked to him:

“Shhhh…Mike… Mike… it's okay, I am here…you are safe…it's over…”  
Harvey's voice seemed to guide Mike back to the surface of his consciousness and his lover's eyes finally focused on Harvey.  
“Mike, I am here, you're back. Oh god, I am so glad I have you back.”  
Mike took a couple of deep breaths and closed his eyes once more, like he was trying to convince himself that he was truly safe now. Then he crawled in Harvey's lap, buried his face in the curve of the other man's neck and just clung to him.  
Harvey leaned back and held him close. He let his free hand run up and down Mike's back, happy to have him back and to be able to touch him again. He was exercised about Mike's wincing when he closed his arms tight around him:  
"Mike, how bad is it? What did he do to you?"  
Mike did not answer right away. He kept his face buried in Harvey's neck and made him wonder if he'd fallen asleep again.  
Finally Mike lifted his head to look at him. The terror and fear were gone, he still looked a little sleepy and exhausted but he smiled.  
"I'll tell you everything but not right now. Please, I am just happy to be here again and to have you back and that we both are okay."  
Mike cupped the back of his neck and pulled him into a small kiss, Harvey surrendered – for now. He did not want to push Mike sooner or later he would be ready to tell him – hopefully.  
"Do you have some breakfast left?"

Harvey watched Mike eat and poured himself some more coffee, relieved that his painkillers started to work.   
“So, you told Donna?” Mike asked him between two bites.  
“Yeah, I did. I figured that I needed a little help dealing with the aftermath of hardcore mind reading and I was right about that. I would not have made to the car by myself yesterday evening.”  
Mike nodded knowingly and sipped on his coffee before he asked further:  
“How did she react?”  
“Not at all, I mean – she still was Donna.” Harvey paused and stared into his coffee mug abashedly. Then he shrugged and took a deep breath. Donna had taught him a lesson, not for the first time since they met:  
“Maybe I underestimated a few people around me or maybe I just overestimated those I had told before.”  
If Mike was surprised by Harvey's sudden realization he did not show it. Mike of course had always been convinced.  
“Honestly, Harvey, when it comes to Donna I'd bet my right arm you could tell her you're Darth Vader and she'd still love you the same. She trusts you when you say you don't listen to her thoughts. I have no doubt."  
"I think you are right. I just... I am not used to trusting people ... Not as unprejudiced as you do."

“Maybe it's time to reconsider that, at least with one or two people in your life.”

Mike had finished his breakfast and climbed of his bar stool. Harvey noticed that the little stretch to reach the floor with his feet caused him pain.

"I need a shower", Mike announced and the pitter-patter of bare feet grew more and more distant until he shut the bathroom door behind him.

 

When Mike was finished and entered the bedroom with a towel round his waist Harvey stood there leaning against the wall, silently observing Mike`s body. Harvey took a deep breath to fight the tightness that built in his chest when he saw his lover's injuries. Mike stiffened visibly when he realized Harvey had followed him. Mike seemed abashed. His hand snapped in the director of the big red bruises on his rib cage that had already started to darken a little but stopped half way and fell back to his side, almost like it had acted on its own will and Mike called it back. 

Harvey stepped closer looking down at the big patch on Mike's chest. He knew what lay there hidden under that bandage – he had seen it on the picture Huxley had sent him to make him obey. Harvey softly covered the patch with his flat hand, only his fingertips made contact with skin. How fervently he wished he could make it go away!  
Harvey's voice sounded hoarse, he had to know and yet at the same time he feared the answer.

“What did he do to you?”  
The mere thought of what he was about to ask took his breath away with fear.  
“Did he… did he..."  
Mike's hand came to rest on Harvey's wrist.  
“No, he did not rape me. He seemed to have enough fun hurting me.”  
Mike let go of his wrist and Harvey's fingertips softly touched the bruised rips.  
“Oh Mike, I hate him so much for doing this to you. I am so sorry that happened…"  
“Harvey, it was not your fault. Nobody could have seen this coming and you got me back. You saved me…”  
Harvey let his fingertips gently wander over Mike's swollen cheekbones. Mike closed his eyes and leaned into the touch until Harvey’s palms cupped his face, completely, still careful and hesitant. Mike's voice was barely more than a whisper.  
„I still think I can feel his hands on me."  
He slipped one hand under Harvey's shirt and let it rest flat on his stomach. Mike's touch still made Harvey's breath go a little faster, still immediately let him crave more. The hand radiated heat and Mike's lips gently kissed Harvey's palm that still cupped the bruised face. 

"Please touch me, Harvey, make it go away. Claim me back."  
Harvey's breathing grew heavy, Mike's words hurt in his heart and in his soul and at the same time they made him want to do as he was told. Touch and love and take him and erase every invisible trace of the monster that had taken possession of his lover's body. His voice almost betrayed him, trembling from the rock fall of feelings Mike's words had unleashed in his chest.  
"But you are injured. Mike, I don't want to cause you any more pain!"  
"I don't care."  
Mike leaned in and claimed Harvey's lips for a soft lingering kiss until he licked gently over Harvey's lower lip and demanded entrance. Harvey instantly parted his lips, letting him inside. He tried to be careful and not to pull Mike too tight into his embrace but his lover deepened their kiss, made it more and more intense and wanting, stripping away Harvey's restrains.  
Mike made quick work of Harvey's shirt and slacks and briefs. His hands found their way down Harvey's spine and to the hollow of his back until they dug into Harvey's cheeks and pressed their groins together. Mike's towel dropped to the floor and without breaking their kiss they reached the bed in only a few well-rehearsed steps. They were used to moving together, holding on to each other, kissing and touching all at the same time.  
Harvey's heart stung again when his beautiful lover was spread out on the bed and all the bruises on his pale skin where even more visible against the bright sheets. He wanted to kill this evil piece of shit, he wanted to make him pay.

Mike read his face perfectly.  
"Harvey, don't... don't think about him. He wanted you to see me like this and think about him... don't let him..."  
Mike's voice was pleading and his eyes showed all his churned up feelings like they always did.   
Harvey smiled down at him and assured:   
"Mike, I see only you, I will always see you, no matter what skin you wear ˗ just like you saw me and nobody can chance that.”   
He brought his hands to the mattress on each side of Mike's head and bowed down to kiss him once more. He wanted to kiss away the fear and the hurt and every shred of reminiscence of the last 24 hours.

He took one hand from the mattress and caressed Mike's body. His fingers ghosted over Mike’s neck and shoulders over his chest and down his uninjured side followed the line where Mike's legs met his torso and over the inner thighs. Then he broke their kiss and let his mouth and teeth and tongue follow the trail of his hands.   
Not for the first time he felt like he could drown in the scent and taste of his lover's skin. He loved the way Mike responded to his touch and he knew him well enough by now to know exactly how to elicit all the wonderful sounds Mike made under his caress.

Mike guided him back to his lips, claimed another hungry kiss, his palms stroking over Harvey's muscular back.   
Harvey pushed back and sat down on his heels taking Mike with him and pulling him into is lap. He felt like he could not get Mike's body close enough. His chest tightened once more when he allowed himself to remember the loss and pain he'd felt when Mike had been taken away from him.  
He buried his head in the curve of Mike's neck and confessed into the soft skin.

"I was so afraid I’d never see you again...I don’t know what I would have done if..."  
Mike lifted Harvey's face with both of his hands until their eyes met.   
"The thought of you was the only thing that made me keep it together! When he kept on beating me and hurting me ...."  
Harvey's bend them both forward just enough to reach for the drawer of the nightstand without losing his grip around his lover's waist. He reached for the lube and condoms and suddenly he had to think of the first time they had done this. Mike had taken the lead because he knew Harvey had been all new to this and willing to follow and learn. He remembered Mike driving him crazy with his fingers, opening him up carefully, taking his time until Harvey had begged him to get inside and fuck him.

Mike wrapped his legs around Harvey's waist and he immediately lost his strain of thought when Mike pulled him close and rubbed their erections together. Both moaned into their new kiss. 

Mike's demanding rhythm, the way he held Harvey close and devoured his mouth made his blood rush through his body. Harvey was eager to give Mike what he wanted. He could not wait to get inside of him, to fill him and fuck him senseless.   
Mike thrust hard against his fingers as he worked him open, rocking into Harvey's touch impatiently, urging him on.  
Harvey was not finished when Mike escaped his touch and got on his knees just enough to bring the tip of Harvey's cock to his hole. For one second they stopped moving, a small freeze in time, and Harvey could see it in his lover's eyes – an offering and a question and a demand all at the same time. Harvey's heart missed/skipped a beat, he inhaled sharply, overwhelmed by everything he felt at this tiny moment of deeply and completely offered intimacy.  
He reached for the back of Mike's neck and locked their eyes when he pushed in. A deep moan built in his chest and left his lips in the form of his lover's name. Having Mike like that, feeling him completely, was intoxicating and addictive. Harvey moved in and out slowly, savoring the feeling of Mike around him again and again. His eyes did not leave Mike's face.

“You feel amazing... So good.”  
He could feel that he was not going to last long that way. Both moaned heavily with every thrust and Harvey was close to the brim. He reached for Mike's cock and stroked him firmly, quickly establishing a rhythm between his thrusts to push him over the edge with him.  
Mike's came only seconds before Harvey's own orgasm pulsed through him. The feeling of Mike's tightness contracting around him as he came made Harvey's vision blur. He was nothing but a shaking, trembling mess mumbling Mike's name until the last wave washed over him, leaving him limb and worn-out on top of the other man's body as they collapsed back to the bed still intertwined and gasping for air.

Two days after Mike was back in Harvey’s arms Lola knocked on their door. Mike's red bruises had turned into a dark blue bye now and that made it look even worse.   
Mike was just having a coffee on the kitchen counter and judging from his look, Lola was the last person he would have expected. Harvey led her inside and the young woman's eyes wandered from one man to the other.  
“Wow, you two… I did not see that coming, guys. Well, glad you are back, Mike! And Harvey… there you go! Hell has no fury like a Specter extorted, I guess.”   
She handed him a plain brown manila folder but her mischievous smile showed that there was more to it.  
Harvey opened the folder and a dangerous shark-like grin formed on his face while his eyes flew over the content.  
He did something that was very rarely seen and hugged Lola but there was honestly no other reaction he could think of when he saw what the girl had done.   
“Thank you… that is fucking genius! If you ever need any help, please call me, I mean it, Lola, someday I will make up for this, I have to!”  
She grinned broadly and pointed one finger at Harvey's chest.  
“I`ll take your word for it and when I call you some day to bail me out and save me from jail, you are not allowed to complain.”  
“Promise.”  
Then he turned around to Mike who followed the scene with wide eyes and startled looks, obviously trying to make some sense of it.  
“Do you want a first row seat to Huxley’s demise or do you prefer to watch from the loge?”

Of course Graham Huxley agreed to see Harvey in his office. The crazy asshole was far too curious and self-assured to miss the opportunity to see what Harvey wanted and perhaps prolong his victorious feeling after he had gotten what he needed.  
Mike had chosen to watch from the loge. He did not want to give his torturer the pleasure of looking at his dark blue and purple bruises that he had so much enjoyed giving him. They had managed to get to Harvey's office without bumping into too many people. Everyone they met stared into Mike's destroyed face but they met nobody important so Mike could live with that. 

Huxley made his accustomed cocky appearance and barged into Harvey's office, leaving his gorillas outside. As soon as Huxley had reached Harvey's desk Mike showed up outside and sat next to Donna on her desk. The show could begin.

This time the intercom stayed on and Harvey did not give Huxley enough time to sit down. As soon as he set foot into his office Harvey rose from his chair.   
“Don't bother to sit down, Huxley. You have a very important meeting right after this.”  
“Excuse me?” The other man's voice had a very dangerous tone, but he seemed also very attentive. He knew Harvey had to have a very good hand to talk to him like that.  
Harvey did not leave his position behind the table and his voice dripped with disgust when he answered.

“You are a fucking psychopath and probably a murderer and a god damned sadist and I don't know what else. But I cannot prove any of that. I have nothing a lawyer half as good as myself could not turn around easily... But believe me when I say you pissed of the wrong guys! One is obviously me, and I want you to rot in jail for what you did to Mike but that is not going to happen. But you know who is almost as unforgiving as I am? Uncle Sam - if you take away his money!"

Huxley had tried to look unimpressed during Harvey's tirade but it was clearly visible that it grew harder for him as Harvey went on and as soon as comprehension seeped in, his eyes grew wide and in the end he stood there flabbergasted and his cocky answers seemed to have left him.  
“What are you talking about? I did not evade taxes!”  
Harvey gave him his best shit eating grin, his voice was blatantly victorious.   
"Oh believe me, you did! And everybody with a god damn pulse will be more than willing to believe that a moneybags like you saved himself a fortune by not paying taxes!”  
“What did you do?” Huxley's mannerly fuss was completely gone as he fully realized what Harvey was saying.  
Harvey's grin only got more contend, the hatred that burned in Huxley´s eyes only made him push it some more.  
“You tried to hide it very, very well, but the tax office has good people who figured it out. And believe me when I say, I had absolutely nothing to do with it. I just wanted to give you the good news.”  
From the corner of his eyes he could see Mike and Donna high five outside his office and he really, really wished he could join their little victory dance out there right now, but he had to stick it to the scum bag right in front of him a little more.  
”You dodged four million dollars only this year and ten million in the two years before that and much more over the last ten years or so! That is almost as good as killing someone and delivering the video along with the body to the police single-handedly."

“But on the bright side, I am positive you are going to find more guys who enjoy a little torture just as much as you do – probably not on the receiving end, though!”  
Huxley was distraught. For the first time since Harvey had to lay eyes on him he had nothing to say. A deathly pallor spread on his face and he stared at Harvey like he just could not wrap his brain around the fact that somebody really stood up to him.

Harvey could not resist one last blow.  
“And who knows what revelations the upcoming shit storm will bring along? You know the media loves to throw shit on the walls and see what sticks and victims tend to show up when they are encouraged. “

“Here are two Gentleman who'd like to talk to you, Mr. Huxley”, Donna announced victoriously and opened the door for the two IRS Criminal Investigators, who had been waiting outside. Someone at the IRS had owed Donna a favor and that was what she called it in for. They wanted to talk to Huxley before he got arrested and now they watched him and his entourage being escorted out by two very severe looking civil servants.

Donna was the first to break the silent admiration of the downfall of Graham Huxley.  
“Celebratory scotch, please! Right now!”  
She turned on her heels and poured them three glasses, none of them aware that Jessica was stomping down the corridor.  
She crashed their toast steaming inside:  
“Harvey, what did you do with Huxley, why…”, she stopped in her tracks when her eyes met Mike's face and her anger seemed to deflate in one baffled “Mike, what happened to you?”  
Nobody found words quick enough so Jessica went on, still completely clueless.   
“Why did it just look like Huxley was arrested? What is going on here…?”  
Mike acted first. He downed the Scotch and gave Harvey's upper arm a quick squeeze. His eyes met with his boss's and Harvey nodded. It was a tiny gesture that only Mike could fully understand and it told Mike everything he needed to know.

“I think Harvey wants to tell you what happened, Jessica, it's his story."  
Jessica’s gaze scanned his face again and she nodded very seriously.  
"Okay then, Mike. Go home and do not bother to come back until this," she made a circling gesture over her own face, "is back to normal."  
Donna emerged from behind Jessica where she had poured a big glass of Scotch and put it in Jessica’s hand.  
"I made it a double, believe me, you're gonna need it."

She grabbed Mike's arm and they left Harvey and Jessica alone.

"That's gonna be a hell of a talk. What are we going to do with the early evening?”  
Donna grabbed her bag from her cubicle and linked arms with Mike.  
"Happy hour starts at 5... Let's go. I still have a shitload of questions."


End file.
